The Mimicry of the Grass
As the biologist passes through the remnants of the fishing village, she notes that "one particular tableau struck me in an almost emotional way." Four "eruptions" of grass mimicked a family in an abandoned house, "all facing some point at the far end of the room where lay only the crumbling soft brick remains of a fireplace and chimney. The smell of lime and mint unexpectedly arose, cutting through the must, the loam" (96-97).
Mutation Imagery
Mutation is a major theme in the novel, as it corruptive influence on mind and matter in Area X twist things into new and unexpected formations. For example, the biologist comes to realize that many of the creatures in Area X, including a dolphin, a fox, and a mouse, were once actually human beings, as they are still composed of human cells. The same is true of the human-shaped trees and foliage found by the biologist in the ruined town; in a sense, these people were absorbed into Area X itself. The biologist herself also experiences mutation, as the spores she accidentally inhales work their way into her system, the "brightness" heightening her senses and simultaneously taking her over.
Horror Imagery
Annihilation is a sci-fi/horror novel, but the horror mostly manifests itself as psychological terror rather than violence and gore. There are, however, some elements of traditional horror stories, such as the bloodstains in the lighthouse, the terrifying creature that almost kills the biologist, and the tapes that show violence among the members of a previous expedition. The Crawler is perhaps the most horror-like element in the novel: a man who has mutated into a hideous, slimy creature that is somehow also brilliant and grotesquely beautiful, scrawling a nauseating message on the inside of the tower while slowly descending its spiral staircase into the depths of the earth.
Ecosystem Imagery
As the novel is told from the perspective of the biologist, much of the prose consists of descriptions of the ecosystems of Area X, focusing on natural elements such as flora and fauna. The biologist derives more enjoyment from observing such ecosystems than from human interaction, and this becomes a major facet of her character; her close observation of the environment within Area X predominates the novel's descriptive passages.
Annihilation Imagery
The theme of annihilation is, understandably, present in Annihilation, taking various forms throughout the novel. On the most literal level, "Annihilation!" is one of the trigger words installed in the expedition members by the psychologist; it's a hypnotic command for the subject to commit suicide. On a larger metaphysical level, though, Area X exudes annihilation: it corrupts and twists and destroys humanity until it's unrecognizable, and the original self has been completely annihilated. The biologist feels this power and tendency in the Crawler, who has the ability to utterly annihilate her but chooses not to. The annihilation of the self is perhaps the novel's most predominant theme, and it is evident in its imagery.
